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Leaning Tower of Pisa. Leaning Tower of Pisa

We all know about the leaning tower in the Italian city of Pisa, but it turns out that there are not so few so-called “leaning” towers and bell towers. You will learn about the ten most famous of them in this issue.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Built on soft clay, the tower began to fall several years after construction began. When completed in 1350, the tower leaned about four and a half feet.By 1990, the tower had leaned another 15 feet (4 meters) and authorities had spent nearly two million pounds of lead on ingots to be placed on one side of the tower to prevent it from falling.

Suurhusen Church, Germany


Suurhusen is a late medieval building in the East Friesland region of northwestern Germany. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it was the most inclined tower in the world, although in 2010 the new Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi broke this record. The Suurhusen spire remains the world's most leaning tower, its tilt beating the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa by 1.22 degrees.

Big Ben, London, UK


The British Parliament Clock Tower (better known as Big Ben) is leaning 0.26 degrees or 43.5cm to the northwest, according to documents that were recently made public. The level of inclination has increased to 0.9 millimeters per year since 2003, affected by constant underground work and the London Underground.

Two towers of Bologna, Italy

The two towers Asinelli and Garisenda in the city of Bologna are steadily falling despite all the efforts of the city authorities. The tall tower is called Asinelli, the smaller but more deviated Garisenda, its deviation from the vertical is already 3.22 m

Frankenhausen Church Tower, Germany


A tower on a hillside on the outskirts of the city is constantly exposed to strong winds. Engineers noticed that the rate at which the tower is now falling is 6 cm per year. In this case, it could reach a tipping point within the next decade or so. Local and state officials agreed to spend $1.5 million to try to stabilize the tower.

Nevyansk Tower, Russia


The tower is located in the center of Nevyansk and is one of the most famous in the Middle Urals. The construction was financed by Peter the Great and was built in the first half of the 18th century by the famous Russian builder Akinfiy Demidov. The height of the tower is 57.5 m. According to the latest measurements, the deviation of the top of the tower with a right angle is currently 2.20 m. The exact date of construction of the tower is unknown, various historical sources mention dates between 1721 and 1745.

Tiger Hill Pagoda

Tiger Hill Pagoda or Huqiu Tower is located in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The tower was built during the later Five Dynasties period (907-960 AD). The tower rises at a height of 47 m. It is a seven-story building built in blue brick octagons. For more than a thousand years, the tower has gradually tilted due to the influence of natural forces. The tilt of the tower is 2.32 meters. The entire structure weighs about 7,000,000 kg.

Burana Tower, Italy


The Burana Tower, or the Church of St. Martino, is located on the Venetian island of Burana. The building was built in the 15th century, it does not fall only because it rests on a nearby building

Oude Kerk Church, Netherlands

The Oude Kerk (Old Church), nicknamed Oude Jan (“Old John”), is a Gothic Protestant church in the old center of Delft, the Netherlands. With a height of 75 meters, it is deviated 1.98 m from the vertical.

Bedum Tower, Netherlands

The Bedum Tower in the northern Dutch town of Bedum also leans more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. At 55.86 m high, the Tower of Pisa leans about 4 m, while the Bedum Tower leans 2.61 m (8.6 ft) at a height of 35.7 m


January 7, 1990 famous of the year Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed to tourists because it had become unsafe. Soon, large-scale, multi-year work began to stabilize this object and partially level it, which was completed only in 2010. But there are a huge number of others in the world leaning towers who are only waiting for such saving actions in relation to themselves.




The most famous leaning tower in the world. This bell tower of the local cathedral took almost two hundred years to build, from 1173 to 1360. The tilt of this structure appeared already during the construction process, and even medieval architects tried to fight it. However, only the engineers of our time managed to stop the fall. During work in the 1990s, they stabilized the tower, and in the first decade of the 21st century, they reduced the angle of inclination from 5 degrees 30 minutes to 3 degrees 54 minutes.



The Urals in the 18th century was the patrimony of the Demidov family, who built their own industrial empire in this region and were its de facto rulers. For one of the leaders of this family, Akinfiy Nikitich, a tower was built in the city of Nevyansk. This building housed the owner’s office, his laboratory, and on the upper two floors - a chiming clock. The deviation of the Nevyansk Tower from the vertical is 3 degrees 16 minutes or 1.85 meters.



In medieval Bologna, wealthy families competed among themselves to see who could build the most high tower. In total, 180 similar objects were erected in this city during the 12th-13th centuries, of which the two neighboring ones, which belonged to the Asinelli and Garisenda families, stand out especially. The fact is that both of these towers (the large one is 97.2 meters high and the small one is 48 meters high) are inclined in relation to the ground and to each other. Moreover, according to historical and engineering research, the first began to deviate from the vertical axis for natural reasons, and the second was built this way deliberately as a mockery of the neighboring object.



Scientists cannot unambiguously decide when exactly this watchtower of the Kazan Kremlin was built - in the 17th-18th centuries or in the 16th, during the time of the Kazan Khanate. But the most famous among other towers of the Syuyumbike citadel is its deviation from the vertical, which is currently 1.98 meters.



Engineering mistakes during the construction of towers were characteristic not only of medieval European engineers, but also of their colleagues from China. As proof of this, we can cite the Tiger Hill Pagoda, built in the 10th century. Over more than a millennium, its deviation from the axis was 2.32 meters.



The Oldehove Tower in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden isn't just leaning, it's twisted. The engineers and architects who worked on this bell tower of the Church of St. Vitus, noticing the resulting tilt during its construction, tried in every possible way to stop it, shifting the center of gravity of the object. Realizing that their plan was not working, they stopped the construction of the tower, which by that time had reached a height of 40 meters. This conservation of construction happened in 1533.



The main attraction of the Malaysian city of Teluk Intan is a leaning tower 25.5 meters high. Initially it was created as a water pump and sentry. However, having deviated from the vertical axis, the tower turned into a popular tourist attraction.



The Round Towers are a national architectural treasure of Ireland. There are about 120 such sites throughout the island. But the most interesting of them is located in Kilmacdoo Monastery in County Galway. This 34.5-meter tower deviates from the vertical axis by more than a meter. It is interesting that the monastery itself has been abandoned for many centuries, and the buildings have been destroyed. And only the tower, built in the 13th century with engineering mistakes, still stands as if it were brand new.



Construction of this tower in a small Polish town began in the 13th century and ended in 1413. Judging by its architecture, it is clear that already during construction it began to deviate to the side, and therefore the builders were forced to change the shape of the tower as they continued working, bending it. This only partially helped. Now the axis of the object is shifted by 2.14 meters with its height of 34 meters.



If in the Middle Ages towers became inclined due to engineering miscalculations of their creators, in our time architects deliberately build such objects. The largest of them is the Capital Gate skyscraper, better known as the Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi. Opened in 2011, the 160-meter building immediately entered the Guinness Book of Records as the structure with the largest inclination angle in the world. It is equal to 18 degrees.

The reliability of the foundation of any building always depends on the stability of the soil. This parameter, which exceeds normal values, can lead to tilting of the structure and further destruction. Even ancient architects knew about this fact. Thanks to this property of the soil, leaning towers once appeared, having such an unusual design due to errors in their design. The most famous of these buildings is the tower located in Pisa, Italy. But the list does not end there - there are many buildings in the world that deviate from the axis of symmetry.

Such buildings are available in the UK, Italy, Germany, China, the Netherlands and Russia. Today you can learn about the history of their creation and see photographs. So let's get started.

This part of the Cathedral of St. Mary was built in the ancient Italian city of Pisa. Work on its creation began in 1173 and was completed almost two centuries later. The authorship of the most famous leaning tower in the world belongs to the architect Bonnano Pisano. It is entirely built of white marble, its height is 56 meters, the angle of inclination reaches 4.8 degrees.

Nevertheless, for many centuries this bell tower has been a symbol of Pisa. And lovers of various kinds of legends composed a new one in her honor: the architect Pisano built an elegant and completely straight tower, which captivated with its royalty and whiteness. But at the end of the work, the stingy Catholic priests did not want to pay for the master’s efforts. After this, Pisano turned to the tower and said: “Follow me!” To the amazement of eyewitnesses, the bell tower took a step and tilted.

Leaning Tower of Syuyumbike

It is the most famous building of the Kazan Kremlin. To admire the oriental beauty, people come to the capital of Tatarstan every year. a large number of tourists from all over the world. Its spire deviates from the vertical by 1.98 meters. Externally, it is a cone-shaped building consisting of seven tiers. Red brick was used for its construction, and the structure is crowned with a green spire, decorated with a gilded crescent - a symbol of the Muslim faith.

There are different versions of the creation of this tower. Two of them are associated with the name of the ruler of the Kazan Khanate Syuyumbike. According to the first legend, the queen ordered its construction after the death of her beloved husband Safa-Gerei.

Another story intertwines the name of the beauty and the Russian autocrat Ivan the Terrible, who in 1552, after the capture of Kazan, wished to marry the proud ruler. It took seven days to build this symbol of power and love. But the cruel king failed to win the heart of Syuyumbike - she threw herself down from the last tier of the tower and died.

Modern researchers refute these legends and say that the leaning tower was created at the beginning of the 18th century under more prosaic circumstances not related to the name of the Tatar queen. Historical documents have been preserved confirming the marriage of Syuyumbike with Khan Shah-Ali.

Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi

Almost 60 years ago, the capital of the United United Arab Emirates could not boast of any sights. But after rich oil deposits were discovered here in 1958, the country began to develop rapidly. Now Abu Dhabi is thriving and can afford the construction of the most unusual complexes.

In 2011, the falling towers found an Arab sister: the most unusual high-rise building was commissioned in the capital of the UAE, which received the name Capital Gate, which translates from in English means "gate of the capital". It was immediately included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most tilted building on the planet. Its roll angle is five times higher than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and amounts to 18 degrees. This architectural miracle of our time was built in four years by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

The Leaning Tower in Abu Dhabi is 160 meters high and consists of 33 floors, most of which are occupied by a five-star hotel and office space. The amount spent on its construction is impressive: over 2 billion dollars.

Tiger Hill Pagoda, China

The omnipresent Celestial Empire is also included in the list of countries that have their own leaning towers. In keeping with the local flavor, the most famous leaning building is the Tiger Hill Pagoda, or Huciu. It is located in the city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu province. The history of its creation goes back over a thousand years, and it is two centuries older than the more famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The height of the seven-story structure, weighing almost 7 thousand tons, is 47 meters.

During its existence, it survived several fires, and in 1644 Tiger Hill began to gradually acquire its special quality: for the fifth centuries, the Chinese pagoda has been rushing down, and by the beginning of the 21st century its slope exceeded 2 meters.

Italian Asinelli and Garisenta

Cities with one leaning tower invariably attract the attention of researchers and tourists. What then can we say about Bologna, where there are two of them?

Asinelli and Garisenda, or simply "twins", were built in the 12th century. The height of the first reaches almost 100 meters, and the second is half as low, but it has a stronger slope from the vertical. For the city of that time, these buildings were as important as the towers of the World War II shopping center in NYC. The main purposes for which medieval skyscrapers were built were defensive and offensive.

Both main attractions of Bologna are located in the very center of the city, and almost all the main streets lead to them. Today, Asinelli is one of the best observation platforms, from the roof of which the quarters of the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region are visible at a glance.

Nevyansk Tower

In addition to the sentinel Syuyumbike, another world-famous tilted structure is located in Russia. Where is the leaning tower? A short distance from Nizhny Tagil, near the Neiva River, the city of Nevyansk modestly stands. The glorious history of the Demidov family began with him, and they also became the customers for the construction of the tilted tower. The height of the Russian sister Torre pendente di Pisa is 57.5 meters. It is noteworthy that the chimes located on the tower play about 20 melodies and have been operating without repair for almost 300 years. They were assembled by English watchmaker Richard Phelps.

The Demidovs were the richest family in Russia, and where there is big money, there are always many different myths.

Such legends also include the history of the inclination of the Nevyansk Tower. There was a persistent rumor about Ural industrialists that they were engaged in the manufacture of counterfeit coins. When auditors arrived in the city one day, the owner, allegedly covering his tracks, flooded the money production machines in the basements, which caused the building to tilt. But historians have refuted this fiction: the slope was originally conceived by the architect.

Tower in Bad Frankenhausen, Germany

The 25-meter high Gothic Upper Church, built in 1382, is located on the top of a hill and is constantly exposed to the destructive effects of a powerful air flow. According to researchers, strong winds are the main reason why the Bad Frankenhausen tower gets 6 centimeters closer to the ground every year. Those under the foundation also contribute to the final fall. mineral water. Engineers have calculated that the next ten years could cause irreparable damage to it.

Any educated person knows in which country the Leaning Tower of Pisa was built. The Tore pendente di Pisa is located in Italy and is an unusual piece of architecture that symbolizes the city of Pisa. This is the pearl of the religious complex of Piazza dei Miracoli on the Square of Miracles.

History of the tower's construction

August 1173. To complete the ensemble of the Square of Miracles, consisting of the Catholic Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta), the Campo Santo cemetery, the Baptistery of St. Giovanni (Baptistero di San Giovanni, where the sacraments of baptism take place), construction of the bell tower begins. The process lasted almost 200 years, interrupted and resumed. Many historians consider the first builder of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy to be Gerardo di Gerardo.

1233. Construction continues under the direction of the builder Benenato Botici.

1264. The source of decorative material is the Pisa Mountains, where workers go to extract marble. The grinding of stone slabs is led by artisan Reinaldo Speciale.

1272. The further process of construction is resumed. Giovanni di Simone begins to level the slope of the tower structure, but his efforts do not produce a positive result.

1284. The naval battle of Meloria ends with the defeat of Pisa. This leads to the fact that construction is temporarily mothballed.

1319. The seventh level of the building is being completed.

1350. Construction of the topmost floor of the bell tower is completed. Master Tommasa di Andrea Pisano builds a belfry in the Romanesque style.

There is disagreement among researchers about the year of completion of construction. Three expected dates are indicated: 1350, 1360 or 1372.

The Italian city where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located is known as the birthplace of the world famous physicist and philosopher Galileo Galilei (1564). His student and follower Vincenzo Viviani wrote a biography of the scientist. He included a description of the experiments Galileo conducted to prove his theory about the relationship between the weight of a falling body and the speed of falling from a height. Being on the upper floors of the tower, he simultaneously threw objects of various body weights down.

Scientists' opinions on this issue are divided. Skeptics consider this description a legend. Most recognize the scientist's Pisa experiments as a historical event.

Interesting fact. A record from one of the court books has been preserved. The entry contains a complaint from a Pisan merchant. He was walking past the bell tower when objects fell from above: first a cannonball, then a gun bullet. He fell, seriously injuring his leg. The merchant asks the authorities to punish Galileo, who dumped all this from above. The answer of Galileo himself was also recorded, arguing that one should not pay attention to the words of a person who does not distinguish a gun bullet from a musket bullet.

Architecture of Torre pendente di Pisa

The building material was stone blocks of local origin. Marble from the Pisa Mountains decorates the façade in white and shades of grey. The portal is framed by bas-relief images of mythological creatures. The tympanum is ennobled by a statue of Our Lady by Italian sculptor Andrea Guardi.

The first level is an arcature, that is, a series of decorative arches. The lower colonnade is 11 meters. Subsequent floors are surrounded by galleries. Each of the galleries is formed along the outer contour by columns decorated with classical capitals, which rest on closed arched Romanesque structures.

The official height, recorded statistically, is 58.36 m. But it is noted that the highest side reaches 56.70 meters, the lowest - 55.90 meters.

The diameter of the base is 15.54 m. There are 294 marble steps leading up.

The thickness of the walls is impressive:

  • below - 4.90 meters;
  • at the top 2.48 meters.

According to modern data, the slope is 3 degrees 54".

Interesting fact. Legend has it that the city government refused to pay the architect after the construction work was completed. He approached the tower column, putting his hand to it, and said: “Follow me!” The building tilted in the direction where its creator had gone.

Bells

At its core, the unique creation of Pisa is a campanella, that is, a bell tower. The seventh level, the belfry, has arched openings for working bells. Musical instruments with names correspond to certain sounds on the staff. The weight of the largest Assunt (Assumption) reaches 3 tons 500 kilograms.

Interesting Facts. Initially, the Crocifisso bell was made by the artisan Vincenzo Posenti, but then it was melted down by another artisan Gualandi da Prato. The small-sized Dal Pozo received serious damage during the Second World War; at the end of the war, the restored version became a museum exhibit. The appearance of its copy among other operating bells - 2004. San Ranieri was melted down several times.

During the Middle Ages, each bell had a strictly established sounding schedule. At the moment, before each mass of the existing cathedral, the bell rings.

Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa fall?

The authors of the project, Bonanno Pisano and Guglielmo Innsbruck, are credited with the origin of the unique “fall” feature. There is documentary evidence, a treatise by the Italian painter Giorgio Vasari (XVI century). He claims that the "evil" that afflicted the bell tower was due to the lack of practice of Bonanno and Guglielmo.

One of the reasons is recognized as the mistake of the designers, who did not take into account the characteristics of soft soil when laying a three-meter foundation. This led to the fact that already during the construction of the first floors a deviation from the vertical began (1178).

The tower structure began to deviate to the south, since under the southern part of the base the soil is looser and more unreliable. The engineers decided to build the wall further on the side of the slope higher (+ 10 centimeters) than on the other side. But the construction site began to tilt in the opposite direction. Instead of the originally planned 10 floors, only 8 were built.

1934. Dictator Mussolini orders the Leaning Tower of Pisa to be returned to its vertical position. Another mistake was made - the foundation was reinforced with concrete, which led to the foundation sinking deeper than the required level.

1964. Italian government, considering the meaning of the unusual architectural structure for the tourism industry, decides to maintain the axial deflection but prevent further damage. The issue was studied by specialists from various fields: mathematics, engineering, history. It turned out that the masonry is deformed due to the difference in day and night temperatures. The research lasted 20 years.

Temporary measures were taken: the lead block structures of the northern part served as a counterweight, and supports were installed for backup. Experimental studies were carried out on a concrete foundation model replicating the tower data.

After discussing the proposed methods, it was decided to remove 38 cubic meters of soil under the north side. This measure led to the leveling of the situation to the level of 1838.

The design was corrected until 2001. Having stabilized the slope, the tourist site was opened to visitors. Experts promise that the Pisan-Romanesque monument will stand for at least 300 years.

Until 2008, despite the efforts of scientists and builders, the annual deviation was 1 mm.

Restoration 2002-2010 reduced the slope from 5 degrees 30" to 3 degrees 54".

What does the tower look like inside?

The staircase at the beginning of the ascent is quite wide. The steps rise in a spiral from the inside, then are accompanied by a gradual decrease in size. The final level is characterized by an indicator of 40 centimeters. The marble staircase made of natural decorative material is worn in places and has become quite slippery. Tourists are advised to wear comfortable shoes.

The central tower part is empty. From the viewing platforms on the inside you can look into the depths of the space.

Starting from the 5th level, visitors have the opportunity to go to external observation platforms, which are equipped with fences and nets for safety purposes.

Some tourists prefer to finish their climb with the 7th floor (belfry). The bravest climb to the upper observation deck, which does not have a safety net, and its fence does not exceed 1 meter. A panorama of the entire religious ensemble opens.

Of interest to visitors is the Hall of Fishes, so named because of the bas-reliefs depicting sea creatures. Previously, the entrance was closed to tourists, since it was a room for equipment that constantly measured deviations. Among modern tourists, visiting the hall at night is popular. You can look at the starry sky, as in an observatory.

Interesting fact. A copy of the “Italian Leaning Beauty” was built by the Americans in the city of Niles near Chicago, Illinois (1934). The copy reproduces the Pisa landmark in detail, but is half the size. This design disguises an ordinary water tower.

How to get to the tower

It is easy to get to the city of Pisa from various cities in Italy using rail transport.

  • on foot, spending 30-40 minutes,
  • public transport to the Piza Rossore stop, fare is about 1 EUR,
  • taxi (approx. 6.30 EUR).

The main attraction of the Pisa complex is open daily, year-round:

  • April - September - 8.30 - 20.30;
  • October - March - 9.00 - 17.00;
  • 14.06 - 15.09 - 20.30 - 23.00 - night visits.

Rules for visiting the tower:

  • Entry will not be permitted less than 30 minutes before closing.
  • For reasons of security, public order or special circumstances such as ceremonies, the schedule may be subject to change or some areas may be closed without prior notice.
  • The visit is strongly not recommended for persons suffering from cardiovascular pathologies or having problems with fine motor skills.
  • Due to safety requirements, children under 8 years old are not allowed inside. Tourists under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Proof of age identification may be required.
  • The ticket fixes the time of the excursion. Late arrival at the required time will result in refusal to attend and does not give the right to demand a refund.
  • Bags and other luggage are left before the entrance (luggage storage is a separate building) and collected after the end of the visit. You are allowed to take a camera or video camera with you.
  • The visit lasts approximately 35 minutes.
  • Ticket price - 18 EUR (constantly increasing).
  • Free entry for visitors with disabilities and their accompanying persons who provide the appropriate document to the cashier and fill out a special form.
  • No more than 30-40 people can be allowed inside at a time.
  • It is recommended to buy tickets in advance. Excursions are scheduled 1-2 days in advance (especially in the summer there are many people interested).

Popular hotels near the tower

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Other leaning towers in the world

The world famous city of Italy, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located, has two more non-vertical architectural structures:

  • Campanella of the Church of St. Nicholas, Via Santa Maria;
  • Bell tower of the Church of the Archangel Michael (degli Scalzi), Piagge Park.

Various statistical sources count approximately 300 “leaning” tower structures known throughout the world. You can divide this list into 2 groups depending on whether the project was originally intended to be tilted.

The most notable among the structures for projects involving “inclination” are the following.

  • The Capital Gate skyscraper (“Capital Gate”), Abu Dhabi, UAE, at a height of 160 meters, has a deviation from the vertical of 18°. Constructed using a unique diagonal grid technology. Expands from the base to the upper floors.
  • Tower olympic stadium(Montreal, Quebec, Canada) built to host the 1976 Olympics. Its inclination is 45°, height is 165 meters. It is held at an angle thanks to a foundation weighing 145 thousand tons, buried 10 meters underground.
  • The Bella Sky Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark consists of two oppositely curved towers. Each has a height of 76.5 m, the deflection angle is 15°.
  • Two skyscraper towers "Gateway of Europe" are directed towards each other, Madrid, Spain. Their height is stated to be 114 m, angle - 15°.

Among the architectural creations that bend under the influence of certain conditions, the following stand out:

  • Tower catholic church San Juan de los Panetes, Zaragoza, Spain. The inclination is 2°. Previously, another building with a city clock stood in its place, leaning 2.3 m and destroyed in 1893.
  • The 75 m high bell tower of the Oudekerk Church, Delft, Netherlands, began to tilt due to a poor foundation. The tilt is stabilized to 1.98 meters from the central axis.
  • The bell tower of the church of Zuurhusen, Lower Saxony, Germany has a deviation of 5.19 degrees and a height of 27.4 m. The reason for the “fall” is also an unreliable foundation. The situation was stabilized by 1996.
  • Yunnan Pagoda, Sizhou, China, built in 961 with a height of 47 m. Its unstable position is determined by the negative influence of weather conditions. She deviated by 2.32 m.

Russia was no exception. Its “falling” tower landmark was built according to the decree of Peter the Great in Nevyansk. The construction dates back to the 17th century. The height of the building is 57.5 m. The deviation of the upper part is 2.20 m. Three versions of its deviation are described:

  • special project
  • soil subsidence,
  • from the suffering and tears of ordinary people.

Interesting fact. The 6th floor provides guests with the opportunity to visit the mysterious “hearing room”. The unique design allows you to observe an unusual phenomenon. Two people standing with their backs to each other in opposite corners can clearly hear each other whispering. There is absolute silence in the middle of the room.

The non-standard “falling” structures of the world conceal many mysteries. But tourists traveling around Italy strive to visit the city of Pisa to see the architectural miracle, which is under the auspices of UNESCO.

Most of us know about the leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, but it turns out that there are quite a lot of such leaning towers around the world. We invite you to learn about the ten most famous of them.

1. Suurhusen Church, Germany.
In northwestern Germany, in the region of eastern Friesland, there is the medieval building of Suurhusen. Until 2010, according to the Guinness Book of Records, this church was considered the most inclined tower in the world. Later, its record was broken by the new Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi. The tilt of the Suurhusen spire is 1.22 degrees ahead of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.


2. Big Ben, London, UK.
The clock tower, better known as Big Ben, is tilted to the northwest by 0.26 degrees, which is 43.5 cm, according to recently released documents. It is worth noting that since 2003 the slope has increased to 0.9 millimeters. The reason for this was the underground work of the London Underground.


3. Two towers of Bologna, Italy.
The city authorities of Bologna are trying unsuccessfully to prevent the fall of the two towers Asinelli and Garisenda. Although Asinelli is smaller in size than Garisenda, its deflection is much greater - 3.22 m.


4. Frankenhausen Church Tower, Germany.
The tower, located on the outskirts of the city, is constantly exposed to winds. Engineers noted that every year the tower deviates by 6 cm. Accordingly, the turning point may come in the next decade. Local officials decided to spend $1.5 million to try to stabilize the tower.


5. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy.
The fall of the Leaning Tower of Pisa began just a few years after construction began. The reason for this was the construction of the tower on soft clay. In 1350 the construction was completed, and by this time the slope of the tower was about 4.5 feet. By 1990, the slope had increased by another 4 meters. To prevent the building from falling, the city spent nearly 2 million pounds of lead on ingots that were placed on the counter-fall side of the tower.


6. Nevyansk Tower, Russia.
The construction of the tower in the center of Nevyansk was financed by Peter the Great himself. Built in the first half of the 18th century, its founder was the famous Russian builder Akinfiy Demidov. The tower reaches 57.5 m in height. Recent measurements showed that the tilt of the tower is 2.20 m.


7. Tiger Hill Pagoda.
In the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, is the Tiger Hill Pagoda or Huqiu Tower. The construction of the tower took place during the period of the Five Dynasties, which is 907-960 AD. The height of the tower is 47 m. The building has seven floors and is built in octagons made of blue brick. The forces of nature acted on the deviation of the tower. Today the slope is 2.32 meters. And the entire building weighs about 7 million kilograms.



8. Burana Tower, Italy.
On the Venetian island of Burana there is the Burana Tower, or also called the Church of St. Martino. The structure was built back in the 15th century, and it has not fallen to this day only because it rests on a neighboring extension.


9. Oude Kerk Church, Netherlands.
Oude Kerk, meaning "old church", is a Dutch Gothic Protestant church in the center of Delft. Its height is 75 meters, and its deviation from the vertical is 1.98 cm.


10. Bedum Tower, Netherlands.
The Bedum Tower also breaks the records of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. If the Tower of Pisa reaches a height of 55.86 meters and deviates by approximately 4 meters, then the Bedum Tower, with a height of 35.7 meters, deviates by 2.61 meters.